Children in care know perfectly well that all they need to do to regain their “freedom” is to make allegations against their foster carer. Just one breath of scandal and that’s it, the kid is whisked away to a fresh home and the carer faces a worrying investigation. (Last time I saw it happen, it was because the foster carer had forbidden the kid in question from attending a PARTY, after dark, with a dodgy crowd.)

I don’t always blame the kids either – they’re often insecure and emotionally troubled, and they’ll seize on whatever power lies within their grasp. But until there’s an equal right of redress for the carer, I can’t see many people being eager to be foster carers.